It is truly amazing to watch a team form and attack a problem that is far removed from their normal day to day activity. The team will probably try to tackle issues using their normal tool kit, and if that fails as can happen in novel situations, the failure of the established way of working can on occasion make room for creativity to blossom; assumptions can be stripped away and good old fashioned problem solving occurs.
What is truly awe inspiring however is to watch this process being driven by a group of people who have little or no ego, no concerns about whether they are the most important person in the group or how they are perceived by their colleagues or those outside of the team. In the rare instances you might find yourself observing such a team it can be truly inspirational.
I was honoured to be invited to Plymouth University this week to take part in ‘Chemistry Flux 2012’ which involved teams of students faced with the task of setting up a business and business planning in chemistry or chemical engineering
Every participant was in the second year of studying for their chemistry degree, rather than a business or marketing degree. They were given one of four briefs at nine in the morning, and had to form a plan, come up with a number of questions for a panel of experts and then make a pitch for investment in the style of Dragons Den, all before three that afternoon.
The team work displayed was frankly humbling; they easily divided jobs according to talent and knowledge and then gave each other the space to function within their allotted role.
The winning team created a measured and measurable business plan that we all found not only ambitious but realistic and well thought through.
It is surprising where you can find inspiration, but a good place to start would be here
MD
infinite pie